bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Ancient Trees And Their Upkeep

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonsgardens

Well technically they do senesce and die, perhaps not from "old age per se" but from the absence of growth and cellular renewal in support structures. This can weaken them and facilitate their demise by "natural" or "unnatural" causes. ever notice where the truly old trees live (let alone the aspen clones- are they still the original tree?)- harsh climes with short growing seasons (high deserts, mountains...)- fewer cell cycles perhaps? If you want to see something really amazing go see the forests in the far norhtern tier- Alaska, Far Northern Canada, Europe- where the trees are gowing up close to the tree line at near sea level- some of the old black spruce forests are old and only a few feet high. I have seen the Adak National Forest http://www.orneveien.org/adak/contr...neyshupp/03.htm, and this is really a "southern" tho still extreme example of "dwarfism" in Sitka Spruce. John

dear john, i,ve always been led to believe that plants and trees specifically do not have a predetermined amount of cell cycles and can be likened to a coral reef where the oldest living parts are only at most a few years old but rely on the structures of their ancestors for support. at altitude could it be the reduced amount of bacterial, insect or fungal threat to the support structures that lead to increased longevity? i,d be delighted if you or any other member could put me in the direction of any further reading on the science behind the longevity of plants/trees, kind regards andrew